S is for Second Chance

by Annie J. Rose

  S is for Second Chance

  Annie J. Rose

  Copyright © 2020 by Annie J. Rose

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.The following story contains mature themes, strong language and sexual situations. It is intended for mature readers only.

  All characters are 18+ years of age and all sexual acts are consensual.

  Photography: Wander Aguiar

  Contents

  Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  S is for Secret Baby (Preview)

  Please don’t forget to leave a review!

  Also by Annie J. Rose

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  Description

  I came in for the company's secrets.

  I ended up making the boss my baby daddy.

  Devin was the mistake I hadn’t counted on.

  Three years ago, I went undercover to help my dad out.

  He needed me to get intel on a rival company, so I posed as an intern.

  My corporate spy mission went awry really quickly thanks to the boss’s son, Devin.

  Piercing blue eyes and sexy as hell, he was irresistible.

  I was 19 and way in over my head.

  Our hot, wild affair ended when I slipped away with company secrets.

  Devin’s been trying to destroy my dad’s business ever since.

  He’s out for revenge.

  If he knew about my little secret, he’d be furious, unstoppable.

  She’s two years old, my whole world.

  Now my dad needs my help again, and I’m going into the lion’s den.

  I have to go toe-to-toe with the only man I ever loved, the man who set my body on fire and stole my heart.

  Competing against him, wondering what trick he has next up his sleeve.

  I don’t trust him. But I want him.

  And it's time to go back where I swore I'd never go.

  With my heart and my secret on the line.

  Chapter 1

  Devin

  Perfect. Everything was going absolutely fucking perfect. I was at the height of my career. The new launch was going off without a hitch. Everything was going exactly as it should, and yet, I was in a pissy mood. I moved through the crowd of men in tuxes, most of them owned and not rented. Women were wearing fancy gowns and dresses that showed off all their assets with their status of wealth obvious by the jewelry they wore. It was a real who’s who in New York City with plenty of journalists to document every move.

  This ballroom of one of the best hotels in the city had been decked out to exude elegance, class, and of course, wealth. Thousands of twinkle lights hung from the ceiling with iridescent gossamer draped over the walls, creating a shimmering effect. Catering staff milled around the room dressed in staunch white shirts with black slacks, each of them skilled professionals when it came to moving without really being seen.

  The food was exquisite and the champagne freely flowing. No expense had been spared. We had set out to impress our colleagues, competition, and potential business partners. We had succeeded. I smiled and nodded as I moved through the crowd. I could mingle and schmooze with the best of them, but I had been doing it all night.

  I needed a break. I needed a moment to breathe something other than cloying perfume and powerful cologne intermingling with the scent of the herbs coming from the appetizers being carried around on silver trays.

  A flash went off, nearly blinding me and stopping me dead in my tracks. “Devin!” someone shouted. “Mr. McKay can I get a picture?”

  I pasted on a fake smile and turned to my left to face the massive flash mounted atop a camera inches from my face. “I believe you just did,” I said coolly before continuing on my way.

  I wasn’t being rude, but I had taken enough pictures over the last two hours to last me a lifetime. I was still seeing spots in front of my eyes. I had posed with all the movers and shakers in the industry. I had shaken hands while being photographed with fellow investment partners and kissed the cheek of damn near every woman in the gala while it was captured forever in a digital image.

  Devin McKay had played his part.

  I straightened the bow tie of my own tux as I scanned the crowd, noting every person in attendance and making mental notes about who had networked with whom. I was gathering intel, preparing for my next move. All of us were. It was why we all attended events like the one I was putting on.

  I could feel the energy, and it was all positive, but it was doing nothing to ease the feeling that something wasn’t quite right in my world. It was like someone running a cold fingertip down my spine. Nothing too ominous, but simply not right.

  I knew what it was but I had been trying to ignore it. Tonight was one of the best nights of my life. The biggest product launch for my company was going off without a hitch. My right-hand man, Wes Brown, and his very creative and beautiful wife, Rian, had things well in hand. Their daughter Ronny was the life of the stuffy party. I had enjoyed chasing the little sprite around and even danced with her riding my feet for a few songs. It had been the highlight of my night.

  Everything was perfect. I couldn’t ask for things to go any better. Yet, there was that feeling that wouldn’t go away. I knew what was causing the discomfort. I was having a crisis of conscience, and I didn’t like it. I hadn’t even done anything to deserve that feeling in my gut—yet.

  Could I really pass up the chance to take down one of my biggest rivals? The man that had embarrassed the hell out of me and made me a disgrace to my father three years earlier. I had vowed revenge the moment my world crashed down around me and my heart was shattered at the hands of a woman who had set out to ruin me.

  That wasn’t something a man could just let go. There were sins to be answered for, and I was the one to make them pay. I would make them pay. But was I ready to pull the proverbial trigger?

  “Hey,” Wes said, stepping in front of me.

  “Hey,” I answered, my eyes still scanning the room.

  “This should be one of the best nights of your life,” he commented.

  I offered my best smile. “It is. You guys outdid yourself.”

  “Then why do you look like you’re waiting for an assassin to burst through the door?” he asked. “Look around you. You have no enemies here. Everyone is here to support you. Get something to eat.�
�

  “Why?”

  “Because the fucking food is amazing and because you look constipated or something.”

  I rolled my eyes before clapping him on the shoulder. “I’m good. I was actually headed for the bar to get a drink. I think all the interviews are done for the night, and now it’s time to relax and enjoy this thing.”

  “Good. I think Rian and I are going to make our escape soon. I don’t want her feet swelling.”

  I smiled and nodded. Rian’s pregnancy seemed to be going smoothly, but he was a very overprotective husband. “You’re good to her. You two have a good night.”

  “See you later,” he said and walked away.

  I did head for the bar, ordered a double of my favorite whiskey, and carried the glass out to the balcony. I needed a minute to think. I needed to clear my head and weigh my options. I stepped onto the balcony, the sounds of the city at night filling my ears. I leaned against the rail, taking a long deep breath before blowing it out and taking the first drink of whiskey of the night.

  I tried to stay stone-cold sober when I was at events like this. I couldn’t afford to fuck up and say the wrong thing to the wrong person. I couldn’t afford to make a move on a woman that was married to someone I needed to stay in good standing with. I had learned the hard way that women were cunning. They only wanted one thing from me—my company, which naturally includes my reputation and money.

  I took another drink from the glass and let the liquid fire burn through my veins, falling into my gut and stoking the flame of revenge. I had worked three years for this very moment, and instead of pulling the trigger and making the move to destroy Ron Savage and his wily daughter, Elly, I was still fucking contemplating it.

  I shook my head, trying to dissect the feelings I was having. Why the hell wasn’t I jumping on the chance to steal the investment opportunity out from Savage? A little birdy had told me about the start-up that was quietly looking for a little cash. I had done my research and found out Savage was looking to get in on the deal. It was a Hail Mary for a company that was falling apart.

  I could swoop in and steal it all right out from under him. It would be the final nail in the company’s coffin. It would be the completion of a mission I had set out on three years ago. But I was hesitating because every time I thought of the Savage company going up in smoke, I remembered the prettiest pair of deep blue eyes.

  I pulled my phone from my pocket, quickly unlocked it, and opened the file with the picture I looked at often. I stared at the image of the two of us together, my arm thrown around her shoulders. She had her face turned toward me, looking up at me with adoration. I remembered the moment the picture had been taken. We’d been out on the boat, both of us a little pink from the sun and our hair windblown. We’d had what I thought was one of the best days of my life.

  It wasn’t a week later when she walked out on me and took all the company secrets with her. She’d played me. She had played us all. She’d pretended to be an eager young intern, cozied up to me, a man older than her by fourteen years, and I fell for it. I fell for her innocent, wide-eyed stare like a damn fool.

  She had fucked me over in every way, single-handedly ruining the biggest deal of my career at that time. She had pulled off subterfuge that would have impressed the top spies in the world. She had walked out the door with all my hard work and delivered it on a silver platter to her scheming father, but the fucking idiot couldn’t even pull it off. I had done all the legwork, and he had still screwed it up.

  He had destroyed the deal. The potential profits that could have been made for all concerned parties had gone up in smoke under his mismanagement. I not only had to deal with my father’s disappointment, but my reputation had taken a hard hit. I had just finally managed to get my dad to give me the reigns to company, and I damn near lost it all on one deal gone wrong. Because of her.

  Her betrayal still caused acid to burn in my belly. She had left me without a word. She didn’t even bother to gloat. She’d just completely ghosted me, and from the moment I learned what she had done, I vowed revenge. For three long years I had systematically been dismantling the Savage investment firm. I was picking him off, one deal at a time.

  I now held the final blow in my hand. I had come upon the information via some back channels I always kept open. It would be a sneak attack, just like he had dealt me. It was the coup de grace, the moment of victory I had craved.

  “Don’t be a little bitch,” I cursed under my breath.

  I was second-guessing my decision because of her. She certainly hadn’t bothered to think about my feelings or what her actions would cost me. I shouldn’t have given her a second thought. It showed my weakness.

  I slid my thumb over the screen and pulled up my contact list. I pushed the button for one of the members that sat on the board of my company. I knew I could count on him to quietly carry out my orders.

  “Tom,” I said when he picked up the phone.

  “Devin! How’s it going? I figured you would be celebrating.”

  “I am, but I need you to do something.”

  “What’s going on?” he asked, turning very serious.

  “I’ve got some information about a start-up that is looking for some capital. It’s a great opportunity. I’d like you to very discreetly make an offer. A generous offer. I’d rather not have this discussed with the board or anyone else just yet.”

  He cleared his throat. “I understand. Send me the information and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks, Tom. I appreciate it.”

  I ended the call and quickly pulled up the file I had been holding on to. I sent it to him and put the phone away. It was done. I had just hammered the final nail into the Savage family coffin. Three years of tirelessly working to take them down had come to an end. All I had to do was sit back and watch it happen. It was what I had wanted from the very moment I realized what Elly had done.

  So why didn’t I feel elated? I was fucking miserable.

  It was her. And she had a hold on me that I couldn’t break free of. I wasn’t sure I would ever be free of her ghost. She would haunt me for the rest of my days. Would I ever find peace? Love? Real happiness like Wes and Rian had?

  I was convinced it would never happen. Not for me. It was my curse. I had fallen for the wrong woman. I was doomed to spend the rest of my days wanting what I couldn’t have.

  Chapter 2

  Elly

  I couldn’t keep my lip from curling with disgust as I was jostled from one side to the other of the busy city sidewalk. There were so many people. None of them bothered to say excuse me or seemed to notice I was carrying a toddler on my hip with my other arm behind me dragging my suitcase. Every jostle threatened to throw off the very precarious balance I was managing.

  It was a cool, dreary day, but I was sweating like a damn pig. The people and the extra weight of my two-year-old and the stupid jacket I’d thought I needed was too much. I could feel my anxiety ratcheting higher and higher with every bump.

  I inhaled through my nose, praying for patience. Lizzy started to fuss. The long day of traveling had left both of us exhausted and cranky. I was hungry. Lizzy had been snacking off and on since we’d left sunny Los Angeles, but she needed an actual meal.

  “Just a few more minutes, sweetie,” I promised. “We’re almost there. Then you can run and play.”

  “Hungry,” she whined.

  “I know. We’ll eat some dinner as soon as we get to Grandpa’s.”

  I looked up, checking the addresses on the buildings as we passed. I had been more than surprised when my dad gave me the address. I asked why I wasn’t going to the apartment on Fifth Avenue, but he didn’t give me an answer. The address was another in Manhattan, but not in the same vicinity of.

  “This is it,” I said, walking toward the door of the building. I released the suitcase, prepared to juggle the baby, open the door, and then grab my suitcase before it could be snatched.

  Like an angel from heaven, a doorma
n opened the door for me, offering me a warm smile as he grabbed my suitcase for me. “You’ve got your hands full.”

  I laughed. “I do. Thank you so much.”

  “Are you visiting someone?” he asked.

  “Actually, I’m going to be staying here. My father is Ron Savage. He said he would leave me a key.”

  The man smiled. “Ah, you must be Elly, and this little lady must be Lizzy. I have your key for you.”

  I followed him to his small desk. He pulled out the key and handed it over.

  “Thank you so much.”

  “Can you get to the elevator okay?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  I got inside, my arm on the verge of giving out, but I was not about to release Lizzy. I didn’t want to chase her, and I knew she would take off running the minute her little feet hit the floor. I waited for the elevator to stop moving before grabbing the handle of the suitcase and heading down the hall.

  I found the right door, fumbled with the key, and managed to get the door open. “Dad!” I called out into the dark, chilly apartment that exuded a musty odor. “Dad, are you here?”

  “Papa!” Lizzy called out.

  I smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “I don’t think Papa is home.”

  I flipped on the light and almost recoiled at the sight of a kitchen littered with dirty dishes and empty takeout containers. There were a few newspapers tossed on the floor next to the sofa and a few empty bottles of beer.